Long Beach State Outclassed on Road

Josh Merrill scored a career-high 31 points as UC Santa Barbara defeated Long Beach State, 87-77, in a Big West Conference game Thursday night at Goleta.

B.J. Bunton recorded his sixth double-double with 23 points and 10 rebounds and Derrick Allen had seven steals for the Gauchos, 10-11 overall and 8-3 in the Big West.

Long Beach State (10-12, 7-5) took a 6-4 advantage two minutes into the game, but it would be the 49ers only lead.

Santa Barbara used a 15-8 run and led, 25-14. The Gauchos advanced the margin to 41-29 at halftime. Santa Barbara held Long Beach State to only 8.3% shooting from three-point range, well below their season average of 32%.

The 49ers never got closer than 10 points in the second half, with the Gauchos leading by as many as 20.

Ramel Lloyd led Long Beach State with 24 points.